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The Malvern View Hotel's location is certainly enviable, with sweeping vistas of the Malvern Valley in the front and Cleeve Common, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, to the rear. The restaurant is a world away from the glitz and glamour of its urban counterparts with the large windows offering ample light and views and a Cotswold stone fireplace which provides that much needed warmth during a chilly winter night.

You might choose to start with a plate of game pâté with pear chutney or fig salad with goats' cheese, whilst a choice of five main courses offer fresh fish such as halibut and salmon, or the lamb hotpot with celeriac crust and braised white beans. Puddings such as saffron pannacotta with honey and thyme shortbread and autumn berry millefeuille are a work of art, clearly homemade and tasting delicious.

Much of The Malvern View's food is seasonal and is sourced locally and the emphasis is on simplicity and bold flavours.

Looking for a halfway house between Cardiff and London on the A40? The Puesdown Inn awaits you. Just outside Cheltenham this lovely old Cotswold-stone built inn has recently been the subject of a major overhaul by John and Maggie Armstrong and now provides a genuine alternative to less agreeable options that have still not fully become aware of the needs of the 21st century motorist. In fact in many ways it is the roadhouse of the middle of last century re-invented. The new oak floors and squadrons of sofas allow for plenty of comfy billets in which to draw breath, enjoy a glass of the renowned Hook Norton cask ale and recharge the boilers with uncomplicated, well presented food.

A typical meal might consist of grilled goat's cheese with red onion marmalade, followed by fillet of Scottish beef, or a home-made 100% burger with hen's egg and chips and passion fruit crème brulee. For those wishing to enjoy a longer stay there are now three en-suite double rooms, and the inn makes an ideal base for sporting activities in and around Cheltenham, including some fine country walks. The car park seems to have no limits.

It is fair to say that The Puesdown Inn endured a somewhat chequered progress in the past - it is equally true to say that such is the strength and quality of the changes introduced by the Armstrongs, newcomers would be totally unaware. An AA rosette has recently been awarded (2005), there are regular tastings, jazz nights and other entertainments that help make this the place to be.